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each year but always a Phaya Pan Thong or noble of
the " Golden Bowl'' rank, is appointed by the king to
fill the chief role, that of the God Phra Isuen ( Isvara).
A few days later, the open square in which the great
swing stands is prepared. Finally a footboard is suspen-
ded from the cross-bar of the swing by six strong ropes
of rattan, at a height of about fifteen feet from the gro-
und. The board is some six feet long by eighteen inches
broad, the greatest length at right angles to the crossbar,
and an extra rope hangs from it, by pulling on which
from below, the swing is got into motion. A long
bamboo is planted in the ground at a short distance on
the western side of the swing, to which a small bag of
money is fastened when the ceremony takes place.
On the day of the ceremony four muscular looking
individuals wearing appropriate dresses and a high hat
made to resemble the head and neck of a snake, are
hoisted amid cheers on to the swing. Their headdress
proclaims these as neither satellites of Phra Isuen nor
men, but representatives of the underworld kingdom
of Phaya Naga, king of snakes and the producer of
rain, sent, it is pretended, to perform for the delecta-
tion of Great Siva before the eyes of men. The Brah-
mans now enter the sentry-boxes specially built for
the occasion and intone prayers, and assistant pulling
on the dependent rope, the swing begins to more to
and fro. The momentum in creases gradually, the per-
formers bend their bodies in the attitude of saluting
deities and at the same time increasing the arc of the
swing. At last, the momentum brings the swing